Eight students suspended after attack in South Africa

South African authorities have suspended eight students linked to a case of alleged bullying that sparked national outrage.

A video showing a horrific attack at Milnerton High School in Cape Town last week has been widely shared on social media.

Several boys were seen repeatedly hitting a classmate with various objects, including a hockey stick, a hose and a belt. The boy was reportedly one of nine allegedly assaulted.

Bullying in schools is a serious problem in South Africa, with videos depicting the violent attacks often going viral. This latest clip is among the most horrifying to come out in recent years.

Organizations and political parties condemned the incident, while police confirmed that a case of assault had been registered.

Among those to speak out was Amnesty International South Africa, which said the video was “deeply disturbing” and called for “timely disciplinary action”.

“No child should suffer such brutality in a space where (students) should be safe and protected from harm,” the international human rights organization said in a post on X.

South Africa’s Department of Education said it had been in contact with the Western Cape Department of Education, which has oversight of the school, and confirmed that the suspended students would be subject to disciplinary action.

The provincial department said it was “treating the matter with due seriousness”.

Both bodies urged the public not to share the video of the attack or details of those involved, saying it “not only exacerbates the trauma experienced by the victim, but also undermines the rights and dignity of all (students) involved”.

South African online outlet News24 spoke to the boy’s mother in a video, who said her son is a cancer survivor.

The 16-year-old’s mother told News24 that the boy completed his chemotherapy earlier this year.

“My child had just beaten cancer (only) for something like this to happen to him,” she was quoted as saying.